Cutting-mill.



G A. & G. T. ENGLB.

CUTTING MILL. APPLIGATIdN FILED JAN.11, 1908.

' Patented Feb. 15, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

G; A. & 0. T. ENGLE.

CUTTING MILL.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 11, 1908.

Patented Feb. 15,1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. G. A. & 0. T. ENGLE.

CUTTING MILL.

APPLIOATION FILED JANJl, 190s.

Patented Feb. 15, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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UNTTE FlCF.

GEORGE A. ENGLE AND CHARLES T. ENGLE, OF NEWTON, IOWA.

commits-MILL.

Application filed January 11, 1908.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1910.

Serial No. 410,437.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE A. ENGLE and CHARLES T. 'Enonn, citizens of the United States, residing at Newton, in the county of Jasper and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Cutting-Mill, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide improved means for cutting grain.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved means for adjusting the mechanism for cutting grain to varying degrees of fineness.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for locking cutting knives in desired posit-ions independently of each other.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved means for feeding grain to a series of cutters.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved means for breaking ear corn and other objects preliminary to feeding the same to the series of cutters.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved means for feeding vegetables, such as beets, to a series of cutters.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved means for slicing vegetables, such as beets.

Our invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of elements hereinafter set forth, pointed out in our claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of our improved mill. Fig. 2 is a horizontal view, partly in section, illustrating the re lations of various parts and the means employed for securing and adjusting some of them relative to the others. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the device as shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail view of a holding screw or bolt employed in the machine. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a modified form of our improved mill adapted for cutting ear corn and fibrous material, such as herbs, bark, leaves and the like. Fig. 6 is a plan of a )ortion of the device shown in Fig. 5. Fig. i is a cross-section on the indicated line 77 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 illustrates a modified form of driving mechanism for our improved mill. Fig. 9 is a side elevation illustrating a modified form of feeding devices for our improved mill. Figs. 10 and 11 are plan and elevation respectively illustrating a further modified form 'of feeding device for our improved mill. Fig. 12 is a side elevation of a further modified form of feeding device adapted to feed vegetables, such as beets, in our improved mill. Fig. 13 is a perspective of a slicing tool employed in our improved mill and Fig. 1 1 is a plan, partly in section, illustrating the manner of mounting the feeding device shown in Fig. 12, a series of cutting knives and a series of slicing knives, such as are shown in Fig. 13, in combination with a head for practical use. Fig. 15 is a sectional plan of a modified construction.

In the construction of the mill as shown, the numeral 10 designates a base surrounded by a hollow casing of generally cylindrical form, said casing formed of two mating members 11, 12. The lower member 11. of the casing is located on the base 10 and carries the upper member 12. A discharge spout 13 communicates with and leads laterally and downwardly from the bottom of the member 11 of the casing. A hopper 14 is mounted on and communicates with the central portion of the upper member 12 of the casing. A cutter head is provided and is mounted in the casing. The cutter head is composed of a base ring 15, the peripheral portion of which rests on ears 16 formed on and extending inward from the member 11 of the casing. The base ring 15 also is formed with cars 17 radially thereof and leveling screws 18 are mounted through said ears and engage the cars 16, whereby the cutter head may be leveled and adjusted on and in the casing. Adjusting screws 19 are mounted radially through the wall of the member 11 of the casing and engage the outer ends of the cars 17, whereby the cutter head may be adjusted diametrically in and fixed to the casing. A plurality of lugs or partitions 20, of like construction, are formed on and rise from the base ring 15. The lugsor partitions 20 are arranged tangentially of the base ring 15. A top ring 21 is mounted on the upper ends of the lugs 20 and is secured by screws 22, preferably three in number, extending through said top ring between lugs 20 and seated in the base ring. The top ring 21 and base ring 15 preferably are of the same diameter. A notch 23 is formed in and vertically of one face of each lug 20. The lower end of each notch 23 communicates with a seat or depression in the base ring 15 and the upper end of said notch communicates with a hole in the top ring 21. A hook bolt 24 is mounted in each of the notches 23 of the lugs 20 and the hook or head of each bolt is located in the seat or depression in the base ring 15 while the upper end portion of said bolt'is threaded and extends through the hole provided therefor in the top ring. A nut 25 is mounted on the threaded upper end portion of each of the hook bolts 24 and is adapted to impinge the top ring 21. A plurality of studs 26, one for each lug 20, are formed on and project upward from the base ring 15 and are spaced apart from the faces of the lugs containing the grooves or notches 23. A notched flange 27 is formed on and extends downwardly from the inner margin of the top ring 21.

A plurality of cutters 28 are mounted parallel and in contact with the faces of the lugs 20 containing the grooves or slots 23 and extend across said grooves. The inner end portions of the cutters 28 are beveled as shown and the outer faces of said inner end portions may be grooved longitudinally from the cutting edges thereof as shown. The outer end portions of the cutters 28 extend beyond the peripheries of the rings 15 and 21. The cutters 28 are confined at their inner end portions between the studs 26 and the lugs 20 and also in the notches of the flange 27. The upper faces of the heads or hooks of the bolts 24 are inclined slightly, as shown, to receive the lower margins of the cutters 28 and when strain is applied to the nuts 25, said bolts are drawn upward and bind the cutters against the lower face of the top ring 21, and said hooks or heads tend to draw said cutters tightly against the lugs. Each of. the cutters 28 is provided with a hook bolt- 24 adapted for adjustment independently of each other and, therefore the connection between each cutter and the top ring and a lug 20 is independent of any other cutter. Thus provision is made for removing and replacing or substituting any cutter or adjusting the same longitudinally or vertically independently of any other cutter and without disturbing the fixed relations of other cutters. The vertical adj ustment of either cutter 28 is effected by loosening or tightening the nut 25 on the bolt 24 carrying such cutter, thus permitting vertical movement of said bolt and its hook relative to the top ring. A groove or notch 29 is formed'in and vertically of the face of each lug 20 opposite to a cutter 28 and adjacent the inner end of said lug. At its lower end each of the grooves 29 communicates with a recess'or seat in the base ring 15 and at its upper end said groove communicates with a recess or seat in the top ring 21.

A plurality of gates 30 are provided and each gate is formed with a trunnion 31 on' its lower end and a trunnlon 32 on 1ts upper end. Each gate is mounted between a lug 20 and the inner end portion of a cutter 28- with the rear portion of said gate in a groove 29 and the trunnions 31, 32 in the seats of the base ring 15 and top ring 21 respectively. Each gate 30 is adapted to close, diminish, determine or adjust the space or clearance in front of the inner end portion of a cutter 28. Each gate 30 is formed with an arm 33 which extends outward between a lug 20 and cutter 28 and between the base ring 15 and top ring 21 and projects at its outer end beyond the perimeter of said rings and beyond the orbit of the outer ends of the cutters. An adjusting ring 34 is mounted around and in sliding contact with the periphery of the top ring 21 and normally rests on the projecting outer end portion of the cutters 28. The adjusting ring 34 is provided with downwardly extending teeth or lugs 35, in each of which is formed a notch 36 adapted to receive and embrace a projecting end portion of an arm 33 of a gate 30. A pin 37 is mounted loosely in and projects upward from the adjusting ring 34 and is formed with a threaded horizontal aperture in its upper end. A similar pin 38 is mounted loosely in and rises from the top ring 21 and is provided with asmooth aperture horizontally of its upper end. An adjusting screw 39 is mounted through the smooth aperture in the pin 38 and is held against longitudinal movement relative to said pin by set collars 4O fixed thereto on opposite sides of the pin; The adjusting screw 39 is screwed through the threaded aperture of the pin 37 and is limited as to spiral movement in said aperture by keys 41 in said screw on opposite sides of said pin.

from or toward the inner end portions of the cutters 28. By this means the space bet-ween the ends of the gates 30 and the cutters may be increased or diminished or closed as desired.

The lower end portion of the hopper 14 communicates through the-top of the casing member 12 to the space within the cut ter head and is adapted to depositsubstance to be cut in said space. i

A shaft 43 is mounted vertically for rotation in the base 10 and may be driven by-a belt (not shown) in engagement with a pulley 44 on said shaft. The upper end portion of the shaft 43 extends through the bottom of the casing member 11 and within the space inclosed by the cutter head. A feeding head 45 is mounted rigidly yet removably on the upper end portion of the shaft 43 within the space inclosed by the cutter head. The feeder head may be formed of a hub, a disk 46 surrounding the lower end portion of said hub and spirally arranged lugs or arms 47 rising from the rim of said disk. The outer faces of the lugs or arms 47 are arranged in proximity to the orbit of the cutting edges of the cutters 28 and in the rotation of the shaft 43 and feeding head said lugs or arms engage the substance to be out and press the same down ward and outward against the cutting edges of the cutters 28 to the end that said substance is carried aroundthe space within the cutter head and slices are cut from said substance and discharged through the longitudinal grooves in the cutters or through the spaces between said cutters and the adjacent ends of the gates 30. Or, the feeder head may be formed as shown in Fig. 9 with a frustum-shaped hub 45 having a base flange 46 and spirally arranged lugs or arms 47 rising from the base flange. Or, the feeding head may be constructed as shown in Figs. 10 and 11 and formed of a hub 45 having a web 46 around it and a relatively wide rim 4'? fixed'to the outer ends of said web and shaped on its periphery with a plurality of spirally arranged grooves or feeding channels 48. Or, the feeding head may be constructed as shown in Figs. 12 and 14 with a hub 45, a disk 46 on the upper end of said hub, and a plurality of spirally arranged arms 47 rising from the rim of said disk, said arms widely spaced apart and only partly surrounding a central space in which vegetables, such as beets, can be received. In the latter construction the arms 47 serve to carry the vegetables rotatively in contact with the cutting edges of the knives and in such manner that slices may be cut from said vegetables by the edges of the cutters. In this construction, gates 30 are omitted, lugs 2O are constructed of different shape in cross-section, )referably approximately triangular, and the space between the edge of a cutter 28 and the next lug is such as to permit a considerable slice to be removed from a vegetable.

In order to reduce the slices to the desired degree, a splitting knife 49 is employed for each cutter and preferably is setat right angles to said cutter and in. contact with the opposite face of a lug 20 The splitting knife 49 is formed with a longitudinal slot 50 adapted to receive a set-screw 51 to be seated in a lug 20 The inner end portion of the splitting knife 49 is formed with a plurality of longitudinally extending separated knives, teeth or splitters 52 arranged horizontally and adapted to engage and split a slice of vegetable into a plurality of strips. The cut substance is forced centrifugally across the base ring 15 and falls between the outer margin of said ring and the inner face of the casing member 11 and upon the bottom of said casing member.

A double wiper 53 is fixed to the shaft 43 immediately above the bottom of the casing member 11 and tongues or end pieces 54, preferably made of leather, are fixed to and extend outward from the ends of said wiper. It is the function of the tongues or end pieces 54 to brush the bottom and inner surface of the wall of the casing member 11 and carry the cut substance over the open upper end portion of the discharge spout 13, through which spout said out substance is discharged by gravity into a receptacle provided therefor (not shown). In the construction shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, I use a differently formed hopper 14 which is provided with an inwardly extending flange 55 on one side and a plurality of ribs 56 extending downwardly and inwardly from said flange. A shaft- 57 is mounted for r0- tation parallel with and slightly below the plane of the inwardly extending flange 55 and a breaking sleeve 58 is mounted on said shaft within the hopper and is secured by set screws 59. A plurality of breaking lugs or arms are formed on and extend tangentially from the sleeve 58 and are in staggered relations throughout the length of said sleeve. The breaking lugs 59 alternate with the ribs 56 throughout the length of the sleeve and are of such length that the outer ends thereof travel through an orbit at one point adjacent to the inner margin of the flange 56. A gear 60 is fixed to one end portion of the shaft 57 outside the hopper 14 and meshes with a pinion 61 on a counter-shaft 62 mounted on the casing member 11". A pulley 63 is fixed to the shaft 62 and a belt 64 connects said pulley to a pulley 44 corresponding in function to the pulley 44 previously described. The belt 64 engages idlers 65 between the pulleys 44 and 63 and said idlers are carried on brackets or arms 66 fixed to the casing member 11. This construction is utilized when it is desired to cut ear corn, herbs, bark, leaves and the like, and when so used it is the function of the breaking sleeve 58, lugs 59 to press the substance against the flange 55 or ribs 56 and break said substance. For instance, if an earof corn passes between the sleeve 58 and flange in vertical position, it is broken by pressure against said flange, whereas, if it moves in the same manner in a horizontal position, it is pressed against one or more of the ribs 56 by a lug 59 and is broken thereby. In like manner,

strips of bark, herbs, stalks and similar substance may be broken, bent or crushed in the hopper preparatory to discharge into space inclosed by the cutter head.

Sometimes it may be inconvenient to drive the machine by belting to a pulley 4A and I have devised a mechanism to be used when desired. Such mechanism is illustrated in Fig. 8 and comprises a counter-shaft 67 mounted for rotation in bearings 68 carried by a suitable support 69. A pulley 70 is mounted on one end portion of the countershaft 67 and may be driven by belting from a prime mover. A balance wheel 71 is mounted on the central portion of the counter-shaft 67. A bevel gear 72 is mounted on the inner end portion of the counter-shaft 67 and meshes with a bevel gear 44 fixed to a vertical shaft 43. The members 11, 12 or 11, 12 of the casing may be connected by a hinge 73 (Fig. 5) in such manner that the upper member and devices carried thereby may be tilted rearward to provide access conveniently to the interior of the lower casing member.

In Fig. 15 we show means for blowing the substance from the casing after it is cut. This means consists of a four-pronged spider or wiper 53 mounted on the shaft 43 and a spout 13 arranged tangent to the casing and adapted to receive substance from the spider. Ingress ports for air are formed at and in the hub of the spider and open from and through the bottom of the casing (dotted lines).

IVe claim as our invention 1. In a cutting mill, a cutter head, a series of cutters adjustably mounted in said head, a series of gates alternating with and located between said cutters and means for adjusting said gates simultaneously.

2. In a cutting mill, a cutter head, a. series of cutters mounted in said head and adjustable longitudinally and vertically, a series of gates mounted in said head and arranged for oscillatory adjustment and means for adjusting said gates simultaneously.

3. In a cutting mill, a cutter head of an nular form, a series of cutters mounted in said head and having their cutting edges flush with the inner margin of saic head, said cutters adjustable longitudinally and vertically in said head, a series of gates alternating with and located between said cutters and adjustably mounted in said head and means for adjusting said gates simultaneously.

4:. In a cutting mill, an annular cutter head, lugs transversely of said head and arranged on chords of the circumference of said head, cutters mounted in contact with said lugs, hook bolts mounted in said lugs and extending through the top of said head and engaging said cutters, a series of gates mounted for oscillatory adjustment in said lugs and means for adjusting said gates simultaneously.

5. In a cutting mill, an annular cutter head composed of a base ring, lugs formed on said base ring, a top ring on said lugs and means for securing said top ring to the base ring, cutters mounted between said rings and in contact with said lugs, gates mounted between said cutters and adjacent lugs and meansfor-adjusting said gates simultaneously.

6. In a cutting mill, an annular cutter head, cutters mounted therein and projecting from the periphery thereof, gates mounted in said head adjacent said cutters, an adjusting ring mounted on said head and engaging said gates and means for moving said adjusting ring circumferentially.

In a cutting mill, an annular cutter head, cutters therein, gates pivoted in said head adjacent saidcutters, arms on said gates, a ring mounted loosely on said head and engaging said arms and an ad j usting screw connecting said ring and cutter head, whereby said ring may be moved circumferentially of the head.

8. In a cutting mill, a cutter head formed with a base ring, lugs rising from said ring and a top ring on said lugs and fastened to the base ring, hook bolts mounted in said lugs and extending through the top ring, nuts on the upper ends of said hook bolts, cutters carried by said hook bolts in contact with said lugs, gates in said head adja cent said cutters, an adjusting ring surrounding said topring, means for connecting said adjusting ring to said gates and a screw connecting said adjusting ring to the top ring whereby said adjusting ring may be moved. circumferentially of the top ring.

9. In a cutting mill, an annular cutter head, an adjusting ring thereon, pins loosely mounted in said cutter head and adjusting ring, a screw loosely mounted in the pin in the cutter head and threaded t0 the pin on the adjusting ring, means for limiting spiral movement of said screw, cutters in said head, gates pivoted in the head and alternating with the cutters, and connections between said gates and adjusting ring. 7

10. In -a cutting mill, an annular head composed of a base ring, lugs rising from said base ring, studs on said base ring adjacent said lugs, a top ring on said lugs, means for connecting the top ring to the base ring, a notched flange on the top ring, cutters mounted between said rings and also be tween said studs and lugs and in the notches of said flange, means for securing and adjusting said cutters and means for adjusting the space between said cutters and the adjacent lugs.

11. In a cutting mill, an annular cutter head a series of cutters adjustably mounted head, said feeding device comprising a shaft,

a hub on said shaft and arms spirally mounted on said hub, said arms located with their outer faces in proximity to the inner sur face of the annular cutter head, and a wiper mountedon said shaft for rotation below the cutter head.

18. In a cutting mill, the combination of a casing, a hopper on said casing, a discharge spout from said casing, an annular cutter head mounted on said casing, a series of cutters adjustably mounted in said head, a series of gates alternating with and located between said cutters, said gates pivoted in the head, means for adjusting said gates simultaneously, a shaft extending within said casing and axially of the cutter head, a hub on said shaft, spiral feeding devices on said hub and a wiper on said shaft within the casing and below the cutter head.

14. In a cutting mill, a casing formed in two sections hinged together, an annular cutter head in said oaslng and adjustable vertically and diametrically therein, a series of cutters adjustably mounted in said head,

a series of gates alternating with and located between said cutters, said gates pivoted in the head, means for adjusting said gates simultaneously, a shaft extending within said casing and axially of said cut ter head, a hub on said shaft, a flange on said hub approximately closing the bottom of the opening in said cutter head, spirally arranged blades on said flange and a wiper on said shaft within the casing and below said cutter head.

15. In a cutting mill, a base, a casing on said base, a hopper on said casing, an annular cutter head in said casing, a series of cutters adjustably mounted in said head, a series of gates alternating with and located between said cutters, said gates pivoted in the head, means for adjusting said gates simultaneously, a shaft journaled in said base and extending within said cutter head, feeding devices on said shaft within the cutter head, a pulley on said shaft, a shaft mounted for rotation in said hopper, a flange and ribs in said hopper, a sleeve on said shaft in the hopper, breaking lugs on said sleeve, a gear on the latter shaft outside the hopper, a counter-shaft 0n the casing, 21 pinion on the counter-shaft meshing with said gear, a pulley on the counter-shaft, a belt connecting the pulley on the counter-shaft to the pulley on the first shaft and direction pulleys carried by said casing and engaging said belt.

GEORGE A. ENGLE. CHARLES T. ENGLE.

Vitnesses:

JOHN G. HARRAH. J. O. I'IAWKINS. 

